Aerospace

Author: Postek Engineering Team | Reading time: 10 minutes Introduction “Sealed” is one of the most misused terms in component specification. Engineers frequently specify “IP67 rated” switches assuming they are protected against all environmental threats — only to discover that at 50,000 feet, their “sealed” switch has failed because the internal atmosphere equalized with near-vacuum external conditions. This article clarifies the fundamental differences between environmental sealing (IP ratings) and true hermetic sealing, and provides clear decision criteria for when each is appropriate. ...

Author: Postek Engineering Team | Reading time: 12 minutes | Application: Aerospace Introduction In aerospace and mission-critical applications, switches are frequently subjected to vibration levels exceeding 50G at frequencies up to 2000Hz — conditions that would cause standard commercial switches to fail within minutes. Under these conditions, contact bounce, intermittent signal loss, and complete contact failure become real threats to mission safety. This article examines the root causes of vibration-induced contact failure, the engineering standards that define acceptable performance, and the design features of hermetically sealed micro switches that enable reliable operation in the most demanding aerospace vibration environments. ...

Why Hermetic Sealing Matters In aerospace, mission-critical, and industrial applications, a switch is not just a switch — it is a potential point of failure. When a limit switch controls a orbital solar array deployment, a flight-critical arming sequence, or a cryogenic valve, the cost of failure is measured in mission loss, not warranty returns. Standard micro switches rely on plastic housings and elastomeric seals. Under thermal cycling, vacuum, radiation, or corrosive atmospheres, these organic materials degrade. The seal fails. Contaminants enter. The switch becomes unreliable — often without visible warning. ...